Salix
Guides
Acronicta lepusculina
Cottonwood Dagger Moth, Cottonwood Dagger
Acronicta lepusculina, commonly known as the cottonwood dagger moth, is a noctuid moth species first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. Adults have a wingspan of 40–50 mm and are active from May to July. The species is notable for its larval association with woody plants in the genera Salix, Populus, and Betula.
Agrilus obsoletoguttatus
Beech Borer
Agrilus obsoletoguttatus is a small metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, native to North America. It is among the smallest jewel beetle species utilized as prey by the specialist predatory wasp Cerceris fumipennis, which provisions its underground nests with paralyzed buprestid beetles. The species has been documented in nest caches containing up to 13 individuals, reflecting its small size relative to larger buprestid prey.
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politus
willow gall limb borer, common willow agrilus
Agrilus politus is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species is commonly known as the willow gall limb borer or common willow agrilus. It is associated with willow (Salix) hosts and has been documented as part of the prey provisions collected by the crabronid wasp Cerceris fumipennis. The species occurs in Central America and North America.
Altica bimarginata
willow flea beetle
Altica bimarginata is a small, shiny blue flea beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, commonly known as the willow flea beetle. It measures 5–6 mm in length and 2–3 mm in width. The species is distributed across North America and Central America and is frequently associated with willow plants (Salix genus). Three subspecies are recognized: A. b. bimarginata, A. b. labradorensis, and A. b. plicipennis. A neotype was designated for this species due to the loss of the original type specimen.
Anacampsis innocuella
dark-headed aspen leafroller moth
Anacampsis innocuella is a gelechiid moth described by Zeller in 1873. The species is known for its larval behavior of rolling leaves on host plants in the genera Populus, Salix, and Prunus. Adults are small moths with distinctive ash grey coloration and a pale wavy transverse line on the forewings. The common name "dark-headed aspen leafroller moth" reflects both its appearance and its association with aspen (Populus).
Calligrapha multipunctata
common willow calligrapha, Common Willow Calligrapher Beetle
Calligrapha multipunctata is a leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, commonly known as the common willow calligrapha. The species is native to North America and is associated with willow (Salix) as a host plant. Like other members of the genus Calligrapha, it exhibits distinctive elytral patterning. Three subspecies have been described, though one (C. m. suturella) may represent a separate species.
Catocala allusa
Catocala allusa is an underwing moth in the family Erebidae. It occurs in the Pacific Northwest of North America, ranging from British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon to northern California, with possible occurrence in western Nevada. Adults are active from July to August, with likely one generation per year. The species is one of approximately 250 known underwing moths in the genus Catocala, characterized by cryptic forewings that conceal brightly colored hindwings.
Catocala californica
Western Underwing Moth
Catocala californica is a moth in the family Erebidae, first described by William Henry Edwards in 1864. It belongs to the underwing moth genus Catocala, characterized by cryptic forewings that conceal brightly colored hindwings when at rest. The species is found in western North America from British Columbia and Alberta south to California. Adults are active during summer months, with larvae feeding on specific host plants.
Catocala irene
Irene's underwing
Catocala irene, known as Irene's underwing, is a moth in the family Erebidae first described by Hans Hermann Behr in 1870. It is found in the western United States, specifically in Utah, California, and Nevada. The species has a wingspan of 65–75 mm and adults are active from July to September, with likely one generation per year. The larvae feed on Populus and Salix species.
Catocala jessica
Jessica underwing
Catocala jessica, commonly known as the Jessica underwing, is a moth in the family Erebidae. First described by Henry Edwards in 1877, this species is found in western and central North America. The species is named with the specific epithet "jessica" and is one of many underwing moths in the genus Catocala, which are characterized by their cryptically patterned forewings and brightly colored hindwings.
Catocala meskei
Meske's Underwing, Meske's Underwing Moth
Catocala meskei is a large underwing moth in the family Erebidae, first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1873. Like other members of the genus Catocala, it exhibits the characteristic underwing pattern: cryptic, bark-mimicking forewings that conceal brightly colored hindwings. The species has a transcontinental North American distribution spanning from the Atlantic coast to the Rocky Mountains. Adults are active during mid to late summer, and larvae feed on poplar and willow species.
Catocala parta
Mother Underwing Moth, Mother Underwing
Catocala parta, the mother underwing, is a North American moth in the family Erebidae. Adults are active from August to September and possess a wingspan of 70–78 mm. The species exhibits the characteristic underwing pattern of cryptic forewings concealing brightly colored hindwings. Larvae feed on Populus and Salix species.
Chionodes abitus
Chionodes abitus is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, described by Hodges in 1999. It occurs in western North America from California north to British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The species is associated with willow (Salix) hosts.
Chrysomela knabi
Knab's Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela knabi is a leaf beetle species in the family Chrysomelidae, first described by Brown in 1956. It is a willow-feeding specialist found in North America, with two recognized subspecies: C. k. knabi and C. k. hesperia. The species has been studied for its larval performance and adult fitness in relation to host plant quality and moisture content.
Corythucha elegans
willow lace bug
Corythucha elegans, commonly known as the willow lace bug, is a small true bug in the family Tingidae. The species is specialized on willows (Salix spp.) as host plants and occurs across North America. Like other lace bugs, it possesses distinctive flattened, reticulated forewings that give it a delicate, lace-like appearance. The species was described by Carl J. Drake in 1918.
Cryptorhynchus
hidden snout weevils
Cryptorhynchus is a genus of hidden snout weevils in the family Curculionidae, containing at least 480 described species. The genus name derives from Greek roots meaning 'hidden' and 'snout,' referring to the concealed rostrum characteristic of these beetles. The genus includes economically significant species such as Cryptorhynchus lapathi, the poplar-and-willow borer, which is a major pest of Salix and Populus species in North America and elsewhere.
Dorytomus hirtus
Shaggy Weevil
Dorytomus hirtus is a weevil in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as the Shaggy Weevil. The species was described by LeConte in 1876 and is distributed across northern North America, with records from western Canada including Alberta, British Columbia, and Yukon Territory. As a member of the genus Dorytomus, it belongs to a group of weevils associated with woody plants, particularly willows and poplars. The specific epithet "hirtus" refers to the hairy or shaggy appearance characteristic of this species.
Furcula borealis
White Furcula Moth
Furcula borealis, commonly known as the white furcula moth, is a North American notodontid moth with a wingspan of 31–42 mm. Adults are active from April to August across a broad range extending from New Hampshire to Florida and westward to Texas, Colorado, and South Dakota. The larvae feed on woody plants including cherry, willow, and poplar species.
Iteomyia
Iteomyia is a genus of gall midges (family Cecidomyiidae) first described by Kieffer in 1913. The genus comprises five described species, including Iteomyia salicisverruca, a well-known gall-former on willows. These small flies are associated with Salix (willow) host plants, inducing characteristic galls on leaves or stems. The genus is distributed across northern Europe and North America.
Malacosoma incurva
Southwestern Tent Caterpillar Moth
Malacosoma incurva is a tent caterpillar moth native to the southwestern United States. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 27 mm. The larvae construct silken tents and feed on specific host plants including Fremont cottonwood, willows, and Prunus species. The species was first described by Henry Edwards in 1882 and is distinguished from related eastern and western tent caterpillars by its restricted geographic range.
Megatibicen pronotalis
Walker's Annual Cicada, Walker's cicada
Megatibicen pronotalis, commonly known as Walker's Annual Cicada or Walker's cicada, is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae. It is found in the northern Great Plains of the United States and has been reported from states including Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Alabama, and Florida. Males produce sound using tymbals—hardened membranes under plates on the venter at the base of the abdomen—and are reportedly among the loudest insects in the world. The species is often associated with riparian cottonwood (Populus) and willow (Salix) habitats.
Nematus laticulus
Nematus laticulus is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, subfamily Nematinae. It is a small, slender sawfly associated with willow (Salix) hosts. The species was described by Villaret in 1832 and is part of a large genus of primarily Holarctic distribution. Adults are active in spring and early summer.
Pachysphinx modesta
Modest Sphinx, Poplar Sphinx
A large sphinx moth in the family Sphingidae, found across much of North America from the southern United States through Canada. Adults fly primarily in early to mid-summer, with single generations in northern parts of the range and potentially two generations further south. Larvae feed on poplar, willow, and cottonwood species.
Paranthrene dollii
Doll's clearwing moth, cottonwood clearwing borer, poplar borer moth, Doll's clearwing, cottonwood clearwing, poplar borer
Paranthrene dollii is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, native to North America. Adults are active from March through October and may produce multiple flights per season. The species is notable for its wasp-mimicking appearance and its larval association with poplar and willow trees, earning it the common name 'cottonwood clearwing borer.'
Pheosia rimosa
Black-rimmed Prominent, Fissured Prominent, False-sphinx
Pheosia rimosa is a moth in the family Notodontidae, first described by Alpheus Spring Packard in 1864. It is widely distributed across North America with a notable gap in the southeastern United States. The species exhibits a wingspan of 43–62 mm and adults are active from spring through fall. Larvae feed on leaves of Populus and Salix species. The taxon Pheosia portlandia, previously considered a distinct Pacific coastal species, has been synonymized with P. rimosa.
Phyllonorycter mildredae
A small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae, described in 2001. Adults have forewings 2.4–3 mm in length. The species is likely more widespread than current records indicate, with confirmed reports from Washington D.C., Kentucky, and Ohio. Larvae create blotch mines on leaves of poplars and willows.
Poecilonota cyanipes
eastern poplar buprestid, eastern poplar jewel beetle
Poecilonota cyanipes is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, commonly known as the eastern poplar buprestid or eastern poplar jewel beetle. The species is found throughout North America east of the Rocky Mountains. Adults are associated exclusively with Populus and Salix species, where larvae develop in dead or dying branches. The specific epithet 'cyanipes' refers to the blue coloration of the feet. Despite being described as the best-known and most commonly collected American species of Poecilonota, field encounters can be infrequent and unpredictable, with abundance varying significantly based on timing and host plant condition.
Poecilonota thureura
Poecilonota thureura is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species is found in North America, with records from Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan) and the United States. It has been collected as prey by the biosurveillance wasp Cerceris fumipennis, which specializes in capturing buprestid beetles. The species is considered uncommon in collections.
Pterocomma
Willow Bark Aphids
Pterocomma is a genus of aphids in the family Aphididae, commonly known as willow bark aphids. Species in this genus are phloem-feeding insects primarily associated with woody host plants in the genus Salix (willows) and Populus (poplars). The genus exhibits a specialized ecological relationship with ants, which frequently tend colonies and mediate dispersal between host plants. Pterocomma species harbor the obligate bacterial endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola, which provides essential amino acids necessary for survival on their nutrient-poor phloem sap diet.
Rabdophaga
Willow Gall Midges
Rabdophaga is a genus of gall midges in the family Cecidomyiidae comprising approximately 105 species distributed across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. The genus is predominantly associated with willows (Salix spp.), where larvae induce characteristic galls; most species are host-specific to particular willow species or sections. A notable exception is R. giraudiana, which forms stem galls on poplars (Populus spp.), and a 2016 record documents the first Rabdophaga species on a non-Salicaceae host, Symplocos cochinchinensis (Symplocaceae). Species within the genus exhibit varying degrees of host fidelity, with some showing strong preference-performance relationships and others demonstrating broader host ranges across willow sections.
Rabdophaga rigidae
willow beaked-gall midge
Rabdophaga rigidae is a gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae that induces characteristic galls in willow terminal buds. The species is native to North America and was formerly thought to occur in eastern Asia, but Asian populations have been reclassified as the distinct species R. salicivora. Larval development occurs within galls, with adults emerging in spring.
Saperda populnea
small poplar borer
Saperda populnea is a longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae) that forms distinctive woody galls on twigs of poplars and willows. The species was described by Linnaeus in 1758 and has a broad distribution across the Northern Hemisphere. Females create characteristic horseshoe-shaped cuts on host twigs where eggs are deposited, leading to gall formation. The beetle is of economic concern in hybrid aspen plantations due to damage to young trees.
Sthenopis
ghost moths
Sthenopis is a genus of ghost moths in the family Hepialidae, containing eight described species distributed across North America and China. These moths are notable for their larvae feeding on woody plants and ferns rather than grasses, unlike many related hepialids. Several species have distinctive metallic spotting patterns referenced in their common names.
Trypophloeus
Trypophloeus is a genus of bark beetles in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae, containing approximately 12 species distributed across North America, Europe, and Asia. The genus is primarily associated with Salicaceae hosts, particularly Populus and Salix species. Trypophloeus populi has gained recent attention as the causative agent of sudden aspen decline in North America. Several species are significant forest pests, with T. klimeschi causing extensive damage to shelter forests in northwest China and T. binodulus affecting poplar plantations in Spain.
Xylotrechus insignis
Willow Borer
Xylotrechus insignis is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1873. Commonly known as the Willow Borer, this beetle is recognized for its wood-boring larvae that tunnel into willow trees and related hosts, potentially causing significant damage or tree mortality. Adults measure 12–16 mm in length. The species is native to North America, with records from the United States and Mexico.